He said: “We were approached a fair while ago and told about the project.

“We understand that quite a significant bit of the film will be done at Portsoy around the old harbour. It’s terrific. The immediate impact on the ­community is going to be ­significant.”

Roger, 70, who was made an MBE earlier this month, is a fan of the old film.

He said: “I love Whisky Galore, and there’s an element of pride that Portsoy should be at the centre of the remake.

“Both for Portsoy and the ­Banffshire coast it’s very good news. There will be roles for extras but I don’t know yet how many.

Richard Frew/Daily Record

“I was told a lot of the best-known names in Scotland will be in it. We’ve had a lot of meetings with the film-makers about tides and so on. I’ve offered my house at a very reasonable fee.”

The original Ealing comedy, which included future star of The ­Professionals Gordon Jackson as George ­Campbell, tells the story of islanders desperate for a dram after supplies run scarce during the war.

The caper tells how they hide, and consume, hundreds of bottles of whisky under the noses of Captain Waggett, the commander charged with ­recovering the liquor for Customs and Excise.

It has remained popular ever since, even inspiring a Tennent’s Lager advert homage in 1993.

It’s rumoured bumbling Waggett will this time be played by ­comedian Eddie Izzard.

Braveheart actor James Cosmo is also lined up for a leading role as a whisky-loving islander.

Despite Portsoy’s proximity to the sea it’s understood boat scenes will be shot at Loch Lomond and in a water tank in Glasgow.

At the Beggars Belief Coffee Cove on Portsoy’s Shorehead, Lee Wenman, who runs it with her partner Dave Crighton, said: “It’s going to be fabulous.

“The film crew and producers come and have their lunch and coffee here when they come up from Glasgow for meetings.

“They’re still are the very initial stages and planning the doing their schedules and so on but it’s lovely.

“They are going to be using the front of our shop and our archway as an entrance to the pub scenes.”